St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-05
A Clear and Explicit Explana-
ton Of the Principal Is
sues Involved.
Reports of the Globes PicketS
As To the Situation Of
the Two Armies.
The PpohibitiOnistS and DiviS-
ionists Noisy and Conf
dent Of Victory.
The Anti DiviSiOniStS Will
Stay Away From the
Polls as a Rule.

Dakota don't have any very heavy
voting to do this year, but what it has
will be gone through with next Tues
day. In every county there is portion
of the county board to be elected. This
body is composed of three members III
the smaller counties and five in the
larger ones, all chosen by districts.
There are from one to three members OF
the board to be elected in each OF the
counties. Purely local interests are In
volved in this election. In very few 10
calities have political parties made NOM
nations. Heretofore the license ques-
ton has cut some figure, as this board
issues all the licenses for the
county. But, as this matter
is generally submitted to vote
this year, the board will have no dis
erection in the premises, but will grant
or refuse license according to the YER
dict of the ballot-box. The last legisla-
ture provide d for taking the sense of
the people at this election upon the
policy of dividing the territory upon the
seventh standard. This line is little
south of the forty-sixth parallel, and
obviates the objection to the latter line
by not cutting off small fraction OF
several counties, but running on the
county lines. The ballots are to read:
For Division" or against Division"
to meet the views of voters. All the
counties will vote on this question,
unless the local officials have
neglected to appoint judges and
provide for taking the vote. This is
the case in Burleigh and possibly one
or two of the frontier counties. In Bur-
leigh, of which Bismarck is the me-
tropolis, everything revolves about the
capital. There are no opinions held
there upon any question that are not
subordinate to the permanent retention
of the capital. The native mOdesty and
natural diffidence of the good people OF
that enterprising emporium make them
unwilling to seem to dictate to the
people of the territory on this question
and they are not quite sure into whose
hands they may fall. So, under the adj
vice of Alex Mckenzie, ther profound
reticence will betoken willingness to
acquiesce in any popular deliverance
that will anchor the capital there. The
attitude of that county may be polite,
but does not suggest the courage born
of intense convictions.
An impartial summary of the some
what sporadic campaign on the division
question leaves no doubt that, at least
in the South, large majority OF those
who vote on this subject will favor di-
vision. There has been active work
done by an array of popular orators and
an organization effected covering nearly
every county in the South. 1t is ex-
pected that the counties of that section,
that are hopeful of becoming
government of a state, will be found
pretty solid for divisiOn-and there are
great number of places with their
rods up. 1t is believed that nowhere
in the entire territory has there
been speech made in opposition to di-
vision, or any attempt at organization.
Still the most intense opposition to
division to be found anywhere is in the
South, among minority of the newspa-
pers and prominent individuals. The
most decided Discrimination to divide the
territory is found in the counties of the
extreme South, like Clay, Lincoln,
Union and Minnehaha. and those ap-
preaching the seventh standard. In the
North the few apostles of division who
have taken the stump have found very
few willing to hear them. If it were
not for the other questions drawing out
the voters, in very few counties would
it be worth while to open the polls. Still,
while there is general Indifference ON the
subject, it is quite probable that a
majority of those who vote at all on
this question will vote for division
simply because they will be furnished
ballots reading that way. The policy of
the unioniSts seems to be to ignore the
matter altogether. They do not be-
lieve their vote will have any effect at
Washington, and be but waste of
effort to attempt to poll their strength.
The votes not polled, then, should be
added to the union or one state side to
get correct estimate of the popular
preference.
The legislature provided that, upon
petition of one-third of the voters, the
county board should in each county sub
NIT the question of license in such
county. About sixty-fve of the eighty
five organized counties (all east of the
Missouri river will vote on this ques-
ton. The local option, or no license
people. under the lead of the w. C. L.
u, have made a lively campaign, and
put men, women and money in the field
almost without stint. 1t is conceded
that, out of the sixty-five counties, not
more than ten are at all doubtful, or
really contested. These are those con-
tanning the larger towns, or along the
Missouri river. The ballots will read:
sFOr the sale;;" or, against the SALE"
1t has been decided that all the voting
will be done upon one ballot. The stu
alton, as regards the liquor business, in
counties that adopt the local option law,
will be about thus:
First-No one shall be licensed to sell malt